About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

January 12, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 12 January 2026

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment195

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (195)

Login to comment or vote

Andrew Worth

When I was first looking at the shooting of Good by the ICE agent in Minnesota, I was puzzled that, with the vehicle so close to him, and apparently a risk of serious injury to himself, why he would bother to shoot rather than just concentrate on getting out of the way.

That Perhaps there was a far dose of stress, and he just wasn’t acting rationally. But I saw this yesterday, and everything now makes sense.

https://youtube.com/shorts/LYm7SsakcxI?si=3lTNQlRBe52NksKC

He leans forwards to get his had on the vehicle, this puts his center of mass in front of his feet, meaning he can if necessary slid his feet back to keep clear as the car comes towards him. He is also using a technique known as contact shooting, by having contact with what he is aiming to shoot, he can swivel his upper body to stay sighted on his target. He holds fire until the target is close, about 2 feet from the muzzle before firing. He then pushes off of the vehicle, taking 2 steps to his left to keep adjacent to the drivers open window, firing twice more to ensure the kill. The agent, Jonathan Ross, has twenty years experience in military in Afghanistan, in SWAT, and as a firearms instructor. He wasn’t stressed or panicked, he was very professional and clinical.
42 13
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:01am
- kowtow
  
  Wow , brilliant , such expertise. Now do one on the slaughter in Iran.
  
  Speaking of which , anything from Chloe and Co .
  
  11 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:09am
  - Andrew Worth
    
    So you’ve got nothing.
    
    8 8
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:37pm
    - kowtow
      
      I’ve got nothing , like you .
      
      9 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 2:52pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Re Iran.
    I see this on Newstalk ZB.
    
    “”
    UOA international relations professor and human rights expert Dr Maria Armoudian joined Andrew Dickens to chat about the ongoing situation.
    “”
    First. It appears she is not a Professor but Senior lecturer and her background in the US doesnt give me confidence in believing anything she says.
    
    Prior to moving to New Zealand, Armoudian worked as both a city commissioner in Los Angeles for six years and the California State Legislature for eight years.
    
    11 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:48pm
- NK
  
  And he trotted off down the road towards the victim’s car after the victim’s car had crashed.
  
  Yet, apparently, he was injured and was taken to hospital.
  
  Don’t worry everyone. Judge JD Vance has ruled he acted in self defence. No need for an investigation. The VP has ruled in the matter.
  
  Move along.
  
  23 48
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:48am
  - Local Miller
    
    He didn’t “trot”, he limped. And he was sent to hospital and did sustain injuries.
    Watch the various videos closely, particularly the one linked above and the footage from the the agent’s own phone. Several things are clear, but the important ones are:
    1) The driver was aware the agent was in front of her car and looked directly at him as she started moving forward.
    2) The agent only started drawing his firearm after the car started moving towards him.
    3) The driver’s “wife” shouts “Drive baby drive”.
    4) The agent was definitely struck by the vehicle! The extent of the injury is irrelevant.
    5) The driver was driving towards the agent and wasn’t trying to avoid him.
    It’s now well established in American law that driving a vehicle towards a person is considered “assault with a deadly weapon”. Even the woke Mayor is starting to deny he ever accused the agent of murder. Pity for him that in this Internet age, nothing can be deleted.
    
    54 12
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:04am
    - kowtow
      
      What’s also clear is the legacy media are on side with open borders and against the lawful authorities doing anything about it . In the west that is.
      
      24 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:15am
    - SGA
      
      Sorry, that’s not what I see (e.g., her wheel angles in one video and hand movements in the officer’s cell video). I see an unnecessary overreaction leading to someone being shot dead.
      
      12 19
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:40am
      - NK
        
        SGA, I see the same thing.
        
        10 16
        Report
        January 12, 2026 1:08pm
      - RichardF
        
        The original unnecessary overaction was interfering with a law enforcement operation. If you play with fire there’s a good chance of being burnt.
        
        20 6
        Report
        January 12, 2026 1:51pm
      - SGA
        
        Sorry, RichardF, I saw nothing in those videos that warranted a killing – I suspect most reasonable people would think the same (shrugs).
        
        9 13
        Report
        January 12, 2026 3:03pm
    - Andrew Worth
      
      The driver was left hand down when moving forwards, Ross would have known she was left hand down because he was watching her move her steering wheel left hand down while recording her. If the agent had stood straight where he was when the vehicle had started moving forward the vehicle would have been very close but arguably missed him, it was only because he was leaning forward that made contact certain, and without a doubt he initiated that contact.
      
      The footage from his phone is misleading in that it was in his left hand, which he extended to place on the vehicle. When he placed his hand on the vehicle, with a bit of a thud, that thud sounded louder than it actually was because his phone was right there, in contact with the hood. That apparently loud thud has been interpreted as the vehicle hitting his body.
      
      His phone footage is pointing at the sky when he moves his hand towards the vehicle and places it on the vehicle, the impact of his hand on the vehicle was insufficiently hard to knock the phone from his hand, it remained in his hands throughout the contact.
      
      There is absolutely no evidence of contact with his legs, quite the contrary, this video makes it clear that up until the first shot there was no contact with his lower body, and the video from the back of the vehicle makes it clear there was no contact with his lower body after the first shot.
      
      He went to hospital, but I have seen no reports of him actually being treated for any injuries.
      
      17 22
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:41am
      - kowtow
        
        Wow that agent appears to have the super powers of the Bionic Man , the armaments of Robocop and the evil intent of a Lex Luther .
        
        10 7
        Report
        January 12, 2026 11:06am
      - Andrew Worth
        
        Correction, she was moving the steering wheel right hand down.
        
        8 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 11:20am
      - Andrew Worth
        
        For those arguing that the ICE agents were within their legal authority to order Good out of the vehicle, that appears not to be the case. ICE has no legal authority with regard to general policing, their authority is strictly limited to immigration and customs, they have the power to detained people only in instances where someone meddles or impedes in a SPECIFIC investigation (eg, acts to hide an illegal immigrant). So similar limits to customs and immigration in New Zealand. Interestingly, local and state police in the US are not empowered to apprehend illegal immigrants.
        
        7 11
        Report
        January 12, 2026 1:49pm
      - Local Miller
        
        ” ICE has no legal authority with regard to general policing…” and “..they have the power to detained people only in instances where someone meddles or impedes in a SPECIFIC investigation..”
        
        And Good was impeding them in their attempt to arrest an illegal immigrant to the USA by parking her car across the road and preventing them from doing their duty. There is video evidence that she had been doing this for several minutes before this incident. As soon as she started interfering with ICE doing their duty she became subject to “in instances where someone meddles or impedes in a SPECIFIC investigation” and they were fully within their rights to arrest her.
        
        “Interestingly, local and state police in the US are not empowered to apprehend illegal immigrants”
        This is not correct state police can arrest illegal immigrants, what they can’t do is prosecute them or deport them. The standard practice in cities that are cooperating with ICE is for the local police to arrest illegal immigrants, then inform ICE of the arrest so there is a peaceful handover to ICE in the local holding cells.
        In cities like Minneapolis which have declared themselves “sanctuary cities”, the local police commissioners have expressly ordered the local police to not provide support to ICE and DNS agents. This is causing ICE more problems because they are being forced to both arrest illegals and provide the barrier between protesters and their own agents.
        
        11 1
        Report
        January 12, 2026 3:45pm
    - RichardX
      
      “2) The agent only started drawing his firearm after the car started moving towards him.”
      
      Please provide a link to the footage that shows this.
      None of the videos I have watched show when he drew his weapon.
      
      3 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:56am
      - Local Miller
        
        This video is a very good review of the incident, but I’ve provided it because it contains two clips, in the first you can clearly see the agent’s right hand reaching for his firearm, just behind the officer trying to open the door (watch it in slow motion as I did) and that the car had already started rolling towards him before he draws his firearm.
        https://youtu.be/Y04ndAPynMk (go to 3:12)
        This clip of the incident is the first that hit the internet and there are hundreds of copies around.
        The second clip (3:55) is from a different angle and not as clear but it also refutes Andrew Worth’s contention that the agent “initialed contact”. It’s clear here and in the original link from Andrew that the car was already moving forward when the agent leaned in and placed his hand on the bonnet. This is essentially a defensive move, not “initiating contact” as Andrew contends. I’ve been in the situation the agent was in (and I’m pretty sure other Kiwibloggers have too), walking in front of a vehicle when it starts rolling towards you. Your reflex is to put out a hand to try stop it. In that moment you’re not actually believing you can stop it, but you’ll still put out your hand.
        In Andrew’s clip it’s also clear that the agent was struck in the abdomen. It’s a glancing blow as he’s moving to his right to get out of the path of the car, but there is definite contact.
        
        11 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 4:14pm
      - Local Miller
        
        Here’s another video where the timing is being analyzed and shown frame by frame. Go to 7:25 for the frame by frame, but the first part is a review for CNN, from a professional video reviewer who has served as an expert witness in this field, and his analysis is clear. I think much to the shock of the CNN interviewer.
        https://youtu.be/yzeq453zR78
        In every review I’ve watched so far, the results have been the same. The car was moving and struck the agent before the shots were fired. The car was lined up to hit the agent, whether on purpose or not will never be known, but in the split second the agent had to respond he made the only reasonable choice.
        Another thing that comes out of this video is that the agent never put himself in front of the vehicle. The agent was standing to the right of the car until the driver reversed and started turning their wheels to the right. It was this reversing that brought the car in line with the agent, not the agent’s walking in front of the car.
        
        10 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 4:41pm
    - Andrew Worth
      
      Regarding his claimed injuries. Did he show any sign of actual discomfort immediately after the contact? Did he check for bruises? Is there any sign that his colleague were concerned that he was injured?
      
      Assuming my interpretation is correct, and ICE decided to claim self-defense, how many seconds do you think it would take them to decide to send him to hospital, after that decision, as evidence in support of the claim of self-defense?
      
      10 25
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 10:01am
      - zulumonster
        
        “Regarding his claimed injuries. Did he show any sign of actual discomfort immediately after the contact? ”
        I once broke a bone playing rugby – and attempted to play on without realising the seriousness of the injury. My team mates and referee interceded after a short period to suggest I needed to be off the field for medical attention. It was some time later that day that I went to the hospital to confirm a serious injury had occured. Adrenaline – nature’s (temporary) anaesthetic!
        
        18 4
        Report
        January 12, 2026 10:30am
      - Local Miller
        
        Injury is not relevant. Assault with a deadly weapon is the measure. Think of it in these terms, someone attacks me with an axe. As they swing at me a move to the side and the axe slides down the side of my arm, doesn’t cut the skin and leaves no mark on me except possibly some dirt on my sleeve. I’m able to run away and avoid further assault. Did they or did they not assault me with a deadly weapon?
        The driver accelerated towards the agent, this is clear in at least 2 of the videos. The agent couldn’t tell the driver was turning to get past him (right hand down) as he would have no reference between the steering wheel position and the alignment of the wheels. The vehicle was clearly moving towards him at the time he drew his firearm and took the first shot. If you look at the video showing the vehicle from just off the left rear of the car you can see that at the time the vehicle started moving the wheels were pointing towards the left and moved towards straight ahead as the driver started moving. They only turned to the right after the shots were fired.
        Everything the driver did was wrong. She was breaking the law, interfering with a federal officer in the execution of his duties (parking across the road illegally so they couldn’t move forward), which is a criminal offence, refusing to follow the lawful instructions of a federal officer (move your car, get out of the car), then resisting arrest/fleeing the scene of a crime.
        She’s not an innocent housewife in the wrong place at the wrong time, she is a member of ICE-Watch, an organization specifically aiming to interfere with ICE in the execution of their duties. She put herself in that situation and chose to accelerate her car while it was pointed at a Federal Agent. If she had waited 2 seconds he would have been passed her front left wheel and she could have moved without any problems.
        
        25 7
        Report
        January 12, 2026 11:43am
      - JerJer
        
        It does not matter. It is like the rule in the USA which I think applies in most states, that if someone comes to your property, and you ask them to leave, and they don’t, you are basically free to shoot them. This person hit a federal officer with her car, and therefore she triggered the event through her own actions and is now dead. This should be a lesson to criminal protesters who think they can do anything they want, including using cars as weapons to impede federal officers. Hopefully this will die down soon and the crazies will go home and find their Palestine flags and go back to the moronic activities they were doing previously.
        
        13 7
        Report
        January 12, 2026 12:09pm
      - Andrew Worth
        
        Local Miller, he wasn’t assaulted, as I pointed out, he initiated contact, there is no evidence that if he had kept the position he was in that the vehicle would have struck him. But, more importantly. He is only justified to use lethal force if there is a genuine perception of a serious threat to himself or others. His actions – leaning in to initiate contact with the vehicle rather than stepping back, make it very hard to see how he could have regarded contact with the vehicle as a serious threat to his life.
        
        7 17
        Report
        January 12, 2026 12:45pm
      - Gary Benner
        
        Andrew, you stated
        
        “he initiated contact,”
        
        Is not the context of the situation important here as well?
        
        Renee Good had been parked in that spot for some time, and honking the car horn etc for many minutes. Just prior to the shooting she had been (lawfully) instructed to get out of the car, and so placing a hand on the car seems to be a reasonable action to take in the circumstance. Good’s action to then accelerate forward knowing the Officer was already in front of the car, indicates either an intention to hit him, or to show a disregard for human life. Her partner was shouting “drive baby drive” exhorting her to break the law by fleeing.
        
        We can all pontificate as to the significance of the details of the incident, but the big picture is that she was breaking the law by obstructing the Federal Agents, she failed to respond to the command to exit the vehicle, and instead she began to flee showing disregard to the people around her.
        
        We can also say getting shot is not commensurate with the obstruction charge, but in the end, in a highly charged environment, she made the decision to drive her vehicle at an armed officer, who IMHO was justified in firing. Others more familiar with American Jurisprudence will be the one’s to make that decision, but the video evidence is pretty obvious for the ordinary person.
        
        16 5
        Report
        January 12, 2026 1:17pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      5 will get you 10. That the family will file a lawsuit. Unlawful killing and ICE will be made to pay a few million.
      
      Meanwhile, all the blood thirsty anti humanitarians will continue to praise the guy for shooting when there were alternatives.
      
      Especially as he fired 2 unnecessary (IMHO) shots through the window.
      
      5 13
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 2:55pm
      - Andrew Worth
        
        Yeah, impossible for even the most partisan to claim that the 2nd and 3rd shots were self-defense.
        
        5 11
        Report
        January 12, 2026 3:22pm
  - Mike
    
    It was ‘domestic terrorism’ according to the usual administration mouthpieces, who certainly didn’t need any investigation before judging the matter.
    
    16 36
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:19am
    - I remember when
      
      It was ‘stupidity’ and two women thinking they were playing a ‘funny’ game.
      Whether stupidity gets you killed or not, is often in your own hands.
      
      29 9
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:45am
    - waripori
      
      It almost doesn’t matter what really happened , although it certainly looked to me the agent had no need to kill her. The response of the administration has hardened attitudes against ICE and their mission to deport anyone who looks like they could be from South of the Mexican border. If they had not been in Minneapolis carrying out random sweeps there would have been no incident. This has all moved a long way from getting rid of the worst of the worst. Most people being swept up now have not committed serious crimes.
      
      If DHS are not careful Renee Good will be a a latter day Rosa Parks or even John Brown. Brown was involved in an armed insurrection but apparently his truth is still marching on.
      
      11 12
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 10:33am
      - RichardF
        
        The left worked themselves into a frenzy over the death of the scum bag George Floyd. Looks like some want to die on the same hill over a raving leftist lunatic who abused her children and was out to disrupt law enforcement operation. The same lunatics are silent as Iranian women are killed by the IRGC. Crazy times.
        
        24 6
        Report
        January 12, 2026 1:56pm
      - ISeeRed
        
        “If ICE hadn’t been doing their job, it wouldn’t have happened.”
        
        4 10
        Report
        January 12, 2026 2:20pm
      - Interested Party
        
        It wasn’t a random sweep, they had an arrest warrant – he was a rapist I believe, but also an illegal immigrant which why ICE were involved
        
        13 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 2:33pm
      - Local Miller
        
        ICE are not doing “random sweeps”, this is a lie being propagated by the democrats and the media. ICE have arrest warrants and are arresting specific people who are at least illegal immigrants but often illegal immigrants with further serious criminal convictions.
        Some of the lies from the Dems: Random Sweeps, “disappearing” American Citizens, arrests without warrants.
        
        13 5
        Report
        January 12, 2026 4:31pm
      - Mike
        
        If the ICE raids are not random, why did the supreme court need to legalize the ‘Kavanaugh stops’ of brown people?
        
        4 4
        Report
        January 12, 2026 4:56pm
- Im Right
  
  No rioting to the extent seen previously, guess the difference being she’s not black.
  I believe, if anyone on the planet should be, arrested for foreign interference/wrecking the USA…George Soros should have been behind bars well before Maduro.
  If I were Trump, he would have been at the top of my list! (He has handed his empire over to his son who has vowed to continue where his father left off…so a dbl arrest would be nice)
  
  12 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:52am
  - Christopher Thomson
    
    I have heard unconfirmed talk that they are looking at RICO charges against Soros.
    
    5 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:20pm
- rouppe
  
  I defy you to NOT put your hand out to fend off something heading for you.
  
  It’s an instinctual reaction to what’s happening to you.
  
  19 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:53am
  - Ra Henare
    
    What about the instinctive reaction to step aside???
    
    6 12
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:57pm
    - Local Miller
      
      That close to the car your instinctive reaction is to put out a hand first, then try evade. If the car were 2 arms’ length away you may try evade first, but at 1 arm’s length your instinct is to put something between you and the threat.
      
      10 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 4:49pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        I guess those without a brain could think that putting your arm out would stop a moving vehicle.
        
        Let alone standing in front of said vehicle being driven by a highly agitated female trying to fight off an agent attempting to open he door.
        
        Self-preservation should have prevailed. Not I am an officer and you must do what I say.
        Having just seen her refusing to get out of the car after the second officer was physically trying to wrench the door open. (Why didnt he(2nd bloke) pull his gun and threaten her at the window???)
        
        Of course depending on your state of mind. You will either attack or defend the victim.
        
        The court case will be interesting
        
        2 8
        Report
        January 12, 2026 5:05pm
  - Andrew Worth
    
    I’m going to evade first, fend only if evasion fails, Ross made no effort to evade.
    
    5 9
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 3:25pm
    - Local Miller
      
      I bet you won’t evade first, not when you are that close to the car. At an arms distance you will use your hands first and try evade at the same time, which is exactly what the agent did.
      I can bet this because I’ve been in this situation more than once as part of working around cars and boat trailers for several years. Putting your hand out like that is instinct and you couldn’t avoid it if you tried.
      
      9 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 4:45pm
- G152
  
  And he will spend the rest of his life running from those victimized by ICE
  
  1 13
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:43am
  - NothingLeft
    
    ‘vicitmized’ LOL. You mean the criminals who’ve invaded USA and the brain dead Democrat Tribalists who’ve enabled and supported that as a mains of trying to take and hold political power in the USA ahead of the social, economic and political interests of existing citizens?
    
    14 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:12pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘firing twice more to ensure the kill.’
  
  You can tell his state of mind , intent from a video ?
  
  Then I’d posit from the video that the woman’s ‘wife’ intended her to be shot cos she set her up to obstruct armed Feds .
  
  15 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:44am
  - grumpy
    
    She stands to pick up over $2mill donations so far…,.,,
    
    5 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:11pm
    - kowtow
      
      Well there’s a motive and she’s already confessed at the scene , saying “it’s all my fault”.
      
      I rest my case m’lud .
      
      See I too can do detailed , forensic , what’s it in the shows , crime scene investigations , like that other fella here , top expert , all from the rose tinted TDS vantage of my armchair , on the internet.
      
      8 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 2:57pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        You think a statement of a grieving “”widow”” doing self blame will be relevant in a court of law.
        The widow says her fault for asking Ms Good to come to the protest. Not to attempt(disputed) to kill an ICE officer.
        
        4 7
        Report
        January 12, 2026 5:29pm
  - Andrew Worth
    
    You have no idea of someone’s state of mind through their actions and demeanor? If you see one person punch another after a confrontation, you don’t consider that an indication of anger? If Ross was in no danger, but fired 3 rounds at Good, 2 of which were absolutely without justification, then called her a fkn bitch afterwards, you don’t see that as an indication of anger?
    
    3 8
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 3:34pm
- Handyman
  
  This is a variation of the George Floyd argument popular with the left. “The only way to avoid getting shot (or arrested) by Police is to eliminate the Police.”
  In the US, the local Police Chief is elected and reports to the mayor who is also elected. This admiral idea of policing at the community level has morphed into mob rule in some left wing cities.
  ICE is a federal agency with a different mandate. Their job is to arrest illegal fugitives with or without local police assistance.
  Their job is not to “get out of the way”.
  
  11 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:49am
  - Ra Henare
    
    Was MS Good an illegal fugitive?
    
    4 10
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:58pm
  - Andrew Worth
    
    The argument being made by those trying to justify the death are variations on FAFO. That upsetting the ICE agent made killing her justified. I can name cases involving 3 killings for which cops are now serving sentences of several years for homicide (Christian Glass, Sonya Massey and Floyd.)
    
    3 9
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 3:40pm
    - Local Miller
      
      FAFO is not being used to justify anything, it’s being used to let people know the likely consequences of your actions.
      The only justification I’ve seen on any of the reports I’ve watched, which is now many, is that she was accelerating a heavy vehicle directly at a Federal Agent who in that moment believed his life was in danger. By definition in America what she did (whether with intent or not) is considered assault with a deadly weapon.
      I don’t have time now to look it up, but I believe the Floyd death has been overturned and those cops have been released. Regardless, prior cases doesn’t make this a case of murder. Every case must be judged on it’s own evidence.
      
      8 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 4:58pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        Still in Jail
        
        2 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 5:30pm
      - Handyman
        
        The Floyd case was with the same Minnesota mob literally baying for blood outside the courtroom and threatening the jurors (who were doxed).
        The jury voted for their lives. Who can blame them: there had been a dozen murders and over $1billion in criminal damage during the riots.
        The fact, not widely reported, introduced in evidence was that the autopsy showed Floyd’s drug cocktail was so elevated it would have stopped his breathing and he would have been died even tucked up his own bed. The death certificate confirmed death caused by the drugs, not restraint.
        
        6 1
        Report
        January 12, 2026 8:04pm
- RichardX
  
  When did he draw his weapon and what was his intent at the time?
  
  2 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:54am
  - Local Miller
    
    See my comment above or go directly to this link, 7:25 into the video: https://youtu.be/yzeq453zR78 He drew his weapon after the car started moving towards him. there’s a fraction of a second in it, but it’s still clear.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:01pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      So he had time to video whats happening and draw his weapon rather than step to one side??????
      
      His footage is not from a body came but his hand held phone.
      
      1 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 5:31pm
    - RichardX
      
      Thanks but I found a better clip without as much partisan bullshit that confirmed he did pull his gun as the vehicle moved forward.
      
      Anyone else find it odd that despite their huge increase in funding, ICE are using handheld phone cameras rather than body cams?
      
      5 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 6:22pm
- Waipuk
  
  She played stupid games and won stupid prizes.
  
  24 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:34am
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  When she looked straight into his camera and spoke to him through the window on her side – he’s clearly not in front of her vehicle then.
  
  So that was after he’d been struck while standing in front of her vehicle?
  
  3 10
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:42am
  - rouppe
    
    No. He did a circle of the vehicle ending up back at the front.
    
    You then:
    1. Hear ice ordering her out of the car
    2. See the wife trying to get in the passenger side, but can’t
    3. See Good make eye contact with the officer and drive off anyway
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:32pm
    - Local Miller
      
      This footage is best seen from the video taken by the agent who shot her, not the other footage.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 5:05pm
  - Interested Party
    
    That was from another ICE agent, please keep up
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 2:36pm
  - Local Miller
    
    You are looking at the wrong agent. There’s one at the door, and another in front of and to the right of the car. As the car reverses the change of direction brings the one to the right in line with the front left headlight. It’s this one that gets hit and shoots her.
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:04pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Dudley. Re look at the footage. There are TWO agents. The window talker and the shooter.
    
    4 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:32pm
- slightlyrighty
  
  Can someone explain to me why Trump is OK with a US government official killing a protester, while at the same time threatening Iran over their government’s killing of protesters?
  
  9 15
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 11:15am
  - Wandering Star
    
    Because Trump isn’t trying to affect regime change in Minnesota.
    
    We all know that if precisely the same circumstances had transpired in Iran, we’d all be outraged by the wanton killing of a democracy-loving citizen by the brutal Mad Mullahs.
    
    Framing matters more than facts.
    
    4 10
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:31pm
  - Local Miller
    
    The said government official is a Federal Law Enforcement officer who was trying to implement a legal arrest warrant and was being directly assaulted with a deadly weapon. In that instant he believed his life was being put at risk.
    In Iran, the police have been withdrawn and the army have been brought in, and they are now indiscriminately shooting protesters.
    It’s not against any law for a (Federal) police officer to defend themselves, but it’s against international law to deploy the army against your citizenry as is being done in Iran.
    
    9 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:12pm
- Philview
  
  I have never driven in the US but people have told me that on getting a rental car, they have been given very explicit instructions on how to stay alive if they are pulled over by the police. It is a different world primarily because the police are so often attacked in the US and can’t afford to take risks. In this current scenario the lady started driving off as her friend attempted to get in the car. Her behaviour was erratic.
  
  19 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 11:19am
  - RoboRob
    
    This 100%
    
    We look at this here and it seems totally out of proportion. In the US, when you are stopped by the police you need to show them you are not a threat and make no rapid movements. Put the windows down, put both hands on top of the wheel and ask before reaching for you license. Dont do these things and the cops might perceive you as a threat.
    
    Driving a car at or near an officer after being told to stop is a shure fire way of upping the pressure. Fuck around and find out.
    
    16 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:23pm
    - wairarapapaul
      
      When driving a rental LA to Seattle I was stopped by police. I pulled over and when asked for my license I reached over to open the glove box, at the same time there was a gun at my temple. The cop asked what I was doing, and I told him my license was in the glove box. He recognized I had an accent, then explained that if you get stopped, don’t reach into the glovebox or a bag without asking. He said that we are the only ones around for miles and he thought I was going for a gun to shoot him as it happens from time to time. I was lucky.
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 5:26pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Have rented cars in the USA a number of times, NEVER been given instructions how to stay alive. But then, maybe I look like a mature guy with half a brain.
    
    4 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:33pm
- Phronesis
  
  The NZ rate of Police shooting people is far closer to the US rate than to our commonwealth contemporaries. “Over the past decade New Zealand’s rate of fatal police shootings has been 11 times higher than in England and Wales.”
  
  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/06/appropriate-use-of-force-shooting-of-maori-man-highlights-high-rate-of-nz-police-killings
  
  0 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 1:51pm
  - Christopher Thomson
    
    is that just totals or per capita?
    
    What is the rate of police being shot, shot at, and gun crimes per capita.
    
    Lets put it in persepctive shall we.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:28pm
artemisia

Is it time for Kiwi businesses to seriously consider shorter work weeks? Experts say we should try it.– Burnout and high levels of mental stress are entrenched in New Zealand’s workforce – Herald today,paywalled.

Have not read the paywalled article but interested to know if it offers an answer to that question ‘is it time?’. Apart from diddums. Anyone?

Might not be such an issue in future for some of the stressed and anxious. New Zealand businesses with lower productivity than they would like will increasingly look at other ways to improve it. By tech advances, but also by identifying and managing the risk to their business in terms of employer responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

I was involved as a manager in restructurings at a large organisation. Three employees were included (exited) in one restructuring, Good people but each had taken stress leave and the ongoing risk to the company was assessed as a factor in the decision.
28 2
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:07am
- kowtow
  
  Yet another front in the culture wars on the west and capitalism.
  
  Give ’em all leave and some ganja , on the taxpayer , that’ll fix it.
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:11am
- Dougal10
  
  I haven’t read it either but my first thought the only people that our country can afford to being less productive are the ones living off our taxes , if civil servants only worked a 3 day week and were replaced with Ai it would be an improvement.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:19am
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  It’s always time for all businesses to be looking at all possible ways of improving productivity. Shorter working hours is one possible way. It may work for some businesses, but it won’t work for all of them. It depends on the nature of the business and the market conditions it’s in. Each business should consider the options and possibilities, taking all that into account.
  
  That’s true of practically every approach.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:32am
- Local Miller
  
  Our general productivity is low enough as it is, and people want to cut down their work week. Productivity will drop through the floor.
  
  Shorter work weeks work for some. I’ve recently moved to a shorter work week although I’ve increased my daily hours so I’m only actually working 4 hours less a week, but have a full day off.
  I’d say for most, a shorter work week would create more issues as they would be expected to maintain productivity with fewer hours. The burnout and stress is far more complex than just the number of days we work, it involves things like being qualified/capable to do our job, not having more work than we can manage in the time available, what we do in our off hours, financial stress trying to come out on low incomes, etc.
  
  22 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:53am
- RoboRob
  
  Strange that the Herald would run this story. Over the last few weeks there have been a string of stories discussing how the move to a four day week has generally been a failure and most firms are moving back to five.
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 8:55am
  - artemisia
    
    Trying to persuade readers Herald does balanced reporting.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:34pm
- MCōs
  
  It depends what the starting point is
  I worked for a company once where a ten hour day was standard.
  The problem was the guys, while they were there for ten hours might have only been putting in six or seven hours grunt.
  They’d come in turn on their computers, eat breakfast, gossip, check football scores . . .
  The hours were cut down to eight starting an hour later. Everyone still arrived at the same time, to beat the traffic, but starting and working together, which made production more efficient.
  
  8 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:12am
  - artemisia
    
    Where were their managers?
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:40am
    - Burtland
      
      they become part of the rort – anyone that takes a hard line will be rooted out by complaints to HR
      
      workplace politics can become pretty vicious especially when staff bring large corporate class warfare from offshore
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 10:07am
    - MCōs
      
      They inherited the old system, quickly saw it was hopeless and made the changes
      The office worked to deadlines rather than units/hour.
      So, we might have had to churn out a thousand drawings by X date or the client in America would be threatened all sorts of repercussions.
      Then the next day we’d fire the team up for the next stage.
      One project went on like that for a year. An extension to a massive convention center in Houston. I saw it on TV years later when it was used as an evacuation center during floods.
      Most people would have been looking at the poor bastards whose homes were flooded. I was looking at the portals, columns, beams and huge connections . . . .
      
      5 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 10:30am
      - artemisia
        
        How about the previous managers? It was also their day job.
        
        I do know that managers can be hopeless but they also have bosses. There are plenty of failed enterprises, some of which continue well past their use by date. As witness IRD debts. I blame owners and managers, workers not so much.
        
        5 1
        Report
        January 12, 2026 10:48am
- imalwaysright
  
  So people will work fewer days but they still want to be paid the same as for a full week.
  
  I’m sure if they hired a builder or a plumber for a weeks work and they only worked three days they would happily pay them the full whack…
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:12am
- Simon
  
  Much of the public sector is third world levels of productivity. One in 4 working age population employed by the state. Huge burden on the productive businesses.
  
  Shorter working day MSM article during the holiday season is some form of propaganda. Being pushed for clicks? The fact is NZ can’t carry the National party anymore. This is the real society burn out.
  
  4 10
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:15am
- cmm
  
  The idea that you can increase productivity through tech advances is rather a myth because what matters is competition and tech improvements raise all ships.
  
  On top of that, the much-hyped “productivity tools” using computers and the internet should have vastly improved performance. For the most part they have just increased the amount of messing about.
  
  How is it that the public service now employs more staff than it did in the age of filing cabinets and filing clerks?
  
  20 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:15am
  - artemisia
    
    Back in the day I attended a talk by Richard Nolan (Nolan’s Stage Hypothesis). One thing he said, the days of 5-10% productivity improvement from new systems are gone. Should be aiming for 1000%.
    
    Mostly not happening then or now AFAIK, but could and sounds like a serious competitive edge.
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:28am
    - cmm
      
      It is all very well to make wise-sounding remarks like “Should be aiming for 1000%”. Delivering the technological and social advances for achieving a 100%, let alone a 1000% gain is incredibly challenging.
      
      Advances in technology or productivity are generally countered by increases in consumption (aka Jevon’s Paradox).
      
      For example, in the past we had telegrams that have been replaced by emails delivered via fibre internet. The information flow has not necessarily improved because the channel has been filled with graphics etc with little information value.
      
      Again, back to the office worker scenario. A computer can manipulate files many thousands of times faster than a filing clerk. So surely we only need a thousandth of the government office workers? Surely a building consent should take minutes – not months?
      
      All that we have really ended up with is more ways to waste time.
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 11:18am
      - artemisia
        
        Elon. Only takes a few Elons.
        
        It’s not just monitor and keyboards (but could be). How about hort tech? New Zealand sells smart automated apple packhouse systems here and overseas. And well known fruit picking robotics with smarts.
        
        Jobs not 4 days a week, many zero days a week.
        
        A Brit university set up an experiment in a paddock – complete plant lifecycle with no human hand involved. Successful experiment. Someone had 1000% + in their brain.
        
        3 3
        Report
        January 12, 2026 12:20pm
      - cmm
        
        There certainly are a few 1000% improvements, but they are few and not enough to move an entire economy forward.
        
        A few years ago I cam e up with a new way of designing a satellite communications chip that is about 30 to 50x as efficient (ie. 3000% to 5000% better) than what came before it. That has not moved the industry forward by a factor of 3000% or 5000% because the demand for satellite processing channels has increased by a factor of 10. So all up, just a 3x to 5x gain in a one tiny part of the whole industry.
        
        Yes, there are ways to eliminate the labour from agriculture, but those don’t actually increase production. They improve productivity per person, but not the country’s earnings.
        
        Eliminating labour only helps if labour is the constraint. In agriculture the major constraints are generally capital and land.
        
        Bottom line is that if you have the people then you may as well use them. Replacing people with technology and then just putting everyone on UBI is expensive and not very productive.
        
        5 0
        Report
        January 12, 2026 3:49pm
  - Burtland
    
    there was a pod cast on RNZ with Guyon and Corin poking fun at the 1970s Post Office – they were laughing at them having historically over 25,000 staff.
    
    And yet, no hint of cognitive dissonance on their part that the public service – their employer – increased staff numbers by 18,000 under labour.
    
    15 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:36am
    - cmm
      
      Postal services of the past were amazing.
      
      I am not sure what it was like in NZ in the 1970s, but in the first half of the 20th century much of London had two postal deliveries a day.
      
      It was possible to get a letter in the morning delivery and have an answer delivered that afternoon – through normal mail services.
      
      Of course that got impacted by telephone and, later, email.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 3:53pm
  - artemisia
    
    More and complex regulation and associated processes will be part of it. I am unproductively buried in a couple of different mires every day.
    
    As an example, insomniac folk could read a few random Tenancy Tribunal decisions. They can be well more than 20 pages long and there are about 30,000 applications each year.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:37am
  - Taieri
    
    How is it that the public service now employs more staff than it did in the age of filing cabinets and filing clerks?
    ————-
    
    Over-regulation. Constant creation and fulfilment of ever increasing requirements.
    Writing and answering emails to multiple recipients that nobody really needs. Production of unnecessary reports. And so on and on and on…
    
    In my own industry (shipping)…
    Time was when all that was required was logging of machinery parameters and maintenance history recording. In the last 20 years or so, every day started with clerical duties, such as risk assessments, job analyses, KPI verification, weekly expenditure reports and such like. All that before any task could be started and all accompanied by electronic recording complemented by hard paper copies, as various inspectors did not accept entries made just in computers. Add to it preparation for never ending surveys, inspections and audits, staff performance assessments, budgetary control etc.
    In the end, I’d enough and retired earlier than I intended to.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 11:08am
    - Master Mariner
      
      Could’nt agree more,
      We are currently changing Flag and Annuals / Intermediates.
      New certs in Company database, Hard copy in binders and updating Class/Trading certs in Class database.
      New Radio surveys, Changing Call signs, AIS ,VDR, GMDSS equipment all changed.
      TBT, RA and PTW today for Sludge tranfer, Working aloft for AH crane repairs, and 2 Hot work permits opened.
      All Zero tolerance if not completed correctly.
      TBT in Morning 1 hour to cover all details.
      Did I mention Planned Maintenace (PMS) is a continually rolling quagmire.
      Also rebuilding Main Engine after throwing conrod out the block. Class action items CC.
      5 Mil US$ and counting.
      Internal Technical inspections, Internal and external Safety mangagment systems and ongoing closeouts.
      5 more years and thats it for me too Taieri.
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 2:31pm
    - cmm
      
      “Over-regulation.”
      
      Quite.
      
      The improved “productivity” has not lead to more efficiency, it has just lead to more rules and regulation.
      
      If we were to find a way to 5x the “productivity” of the public service that would not translate into faster building consents. It would just 5x the regulation.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 3:55pm
  - Local Miller
    
    Not a total myth, it depends on how the new technology is being used and how the change impacts on consumption.
    Banking is a classic example. 45 years ago when I got my first bank account, I had a little book the bank gave me where they recorded my deposits and withdraws by hand each time I went to the branch. I did one or two bank transactions a month, typically one deposit being part of my salary from my weekend job, and maybe one transaction when I needed a bit of extra cash. Most of my purchases were cash. For people with a cheque book, there were a few cheques a month and not much more, Mom still paid cash to do her weekly grocery shopping. Today we have almost fully computerized banking, I seldom go near a branch, my salary is paid directly into the bank and 99.9% of my transactions are electronic, even down to the $1 I spent on Friday to buy a bolt and 2 washers and I can easily do 4 or 5 transactions a day that go through the bank. So computerizing the banking industry has made it much more available to far more people and they are almost all doing a lot more transactions. Productivity is much higher because it’s handling a much higher consumption, but the bank staff are just as busy because more people want the services that require staff interaction, like loan approvals.
    In my business, we report on server health measured against best practice build recommendations. This may be anything from one server at a client to several, with a worst case being over 50 in a single report (as I recall). While we currently gather most of the data we need automatically, getting it into a report and highlighting poor practice is still a manual process, taking an average of 4 hours per server with a minimum of 20 hours (because of some manual work required for initial data capture, configuring access, etc.). We are currently building a process that would use AI to do the grunt work based on a document template and a range of rules. Using the rules AI could also write an executive summary. This would reduce my work from 4 hours per server to a few minutes per server to review the data collection and ensure all relevant poor practice items have been correctly highlighted. After that I’d use 1 -2 hours to review and improve the executive summary and recommendation list, which is where the real value to the client sits. A 20 hour project could be cut to 5 hours (background setup, access, etc.), but a 100 hour project could be reduced to 10 hours, so a 1000% improvement.
    The big benefits are that we can provide services to more clients, faster and at a lower cost, making us more competitive in the market, and I’d have more job satisfaction knowing I’m spending less time doing the grunt work of data copy/paste into a Word doc and more time adding value. This is increased productivity.
    As a company we’ve only been on the market a few months more than 5 years and are already a leader in our field. This is because from the start our systems have been designed to use technology as smartly as possible. We work towards automating everything that can be automated, with the current redevelopment being made possible with the advent of AI. Over the next few months, once the first report type is working we’ll be rolling out AI over a wider range of reports.
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 12:33pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      “…but a 100 hour project could be reduced to 10 hours, so a 1000% improvement.”
      
      Wouldn’t that be a 90% reduction ?
      
      Going from 10 to 100 would be a 1000% increase.
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 2:57pm
- Burtland
  
  SME kiwi business wont survive this increasing entitlement – the level of management sophistication required is beyond most of them – they need to have obscene profit margins to pay for it and more than No8 wire skills to survive.
  
  weve moved on from the Warehouse’s chinese crap to the IKEA onslaught – whos going to survive that?
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:23am
Scott

Why is there so much fraud in Minnesota? So much fraud that even Governor Tim Walz has been forced by the Democrat hierarchy to not run for a 3rd term.
Powerline has the inside knowledge –
“Democrats played the long-game: no longer able to call upon their former Farmer-Labor coalition, they imported a new voter base into Minnesota with offers of access to the state’s Scandinavian-style, grave-to-grave, honor-system welfare system.

Billions in taxpayer dollars were handed out, no questions asked, in exchange for votes every November. And that combination produced the desired results, for Democrats.

As for the New American communities, little was asked in return. Between elections they are stored in unattractive high-rise apartment blocks.

Democrats cannot end the fraud in Minnesota without jeopardizing their political monopoly in the state. Cut off the flow of dollars and the votes and campaign donations will dry up.

The fraud is not the result of a few greedy, rogue individuals within these communities. The billions and billions in fraud is merely the rental price of the voter block increasing with each cycle.”

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/01/apart-at-the-seams.php

Democrats are a good example of the adage – if you can’t get the people to vote for you then change the people. In this case thousands and thousands of Somalians have been brought in to vote Democrat.
The fraud that has ensued is not a bug of the Democrats system, it’s a feature.
14 5
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:18am
- artemisia
  
  Not just Minnesota of course. Seems to be some other blue states, blue ones so far anyway, and evidence emerging that whistleblowers tried in vain to get fraud allegations investigated.
  
  Blind eyes turned. I don’t think Governor Walz will be the only one to decide to spend more time with his family. Those blind eyes will be collecting serious anger from taxpayers and bluster and blaming isn’t going to cut through that.
  
  I see Governor Walz has gone public referring to all the good fraud detection stuff being done.
  
  Might be a few locals thinking a day late and a dollar short. Or years late and a few billions short.
  
  https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=1055-716341
  
  11 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 1:30pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Nearly 100000 Somalians in Minnesota forming a Democrat – plantation of client-voters large enough to swing elections, and costing Minesotans $Billions a year in welfare – with Democrat politicians skimming a few %
  
  This is a pattern repeated through many states in USA. Democracy cannot survive this sort of clientelist gaming/exploitation – short term a few Democrats might benefit with personal wealth ang power. Long term Clientalism/Tribalism destroys the ability of Democratic Govt to operate, making monopoly govt bureaucracies innately corrupt and Causing country to fall apart.
  
  See Lebanon, South Africa and Zimbabwe for examples.
  
  12 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 2:24pm
Chuck Bird

Good interview of David Seymour on NewstalkZB just after 8 am this morning.
17 4
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:33am
- RoboRob
  
  Yes. I thought he missed a step though. When someone asks you about what you are doing over your break, at least pretend you are going to have a break. David made it sound like it was all work, even though he mentioned an overseas trip.
  
  Luxon made a stupid mistake in his interview. He was all ‘I’m striaght back to work on the 4th’. Now he has the host poking fun at him wondering where he is.
  
  Lets be human here and say ‘We have a long and busy year ahead, especially with an election, I am taking a few weeks off to relax with family as it’s likely the only time I will get to spend some quality time with them for some time’.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:00am
  - artemisia
    
    The Prime Minster is never off duty, even when the deputy is standing in.
    
    7 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:32pm
    - Groggy
      
      Luxon may not be off duty, but he manages to disappear pretty well whenever you would expect the PM to front up.
      
      3 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 1:58pm
Simon

Manage My Health should be in Administration and a criminal investigation into senior IT staff and management undertaken.

But National treats those who had their data stolen as plebs. National wants to sweep fundamental digital problems under the carpet as it moves everyone onto a digital ID platform. Also its third world Manage My Health issue. First world standards in NZ across the board are no longer possible.
5 9
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:36am
NK

It’s time for questions to be asked of our Reserve Bank around its lack of gold and silver holdings, particularly the former.
13 9
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:50am
- RoboRob
  
  Why? Because they have had a great increase in value and have been a good investment? We dont have a gold backed dollar.
  
  Do we need to borrow money to buy physical assets to hord as an investment? Do we really want our institutions using tax payers money to play the markets?
  
  They could have borrowed money and bought gold and had it drop in value just as easily.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:03am
- Yabster
  
  they hold zero Gold or Silver- compare that to China, US etc. Seems an odd policy.
  
  1 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:05am
- Cassandra
  
  Borrowing money to buy gold? Doesn’t make sense. Unless we have some amazingly good bullion trader here. Which I doubt.
  
  18 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:09am
  - kowtow
    
    They’re probably all like that financial guru Gordon Brown.
    
    Sell all our gold at low prices !
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:16am
  - peterwn
    
    Also IRD would want its cut when they needed to sell any.
    
    5 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:38am
  - Mike
    
    The government could specify that royalties from gold mines here are paid in gold. Oops, better not encourage that particular sect of libertarians.
    
    3 8
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:52am
    - RoboRob
      
      Why on earth wouldt they do that! The government needs cash to pay for our social infrastructure. If they were paid in gold that they stored, where would the money come from?
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 1:11pm
- MCōs
  
  If the Reserve Bank had sold everything and plunged into gold a couple of years ago we’d be a fabulously rich country by now.
  My wife cashed up her life savings and bought some gold in Bangkok a year ago.
  I asked her one day why she doesn’t wear her gold necklace. I am, she said
  Oh.
  
  4 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:52am
  - RoboRob
    
    If your wife put all her life savings into gold, that was a terrible investment decision. Never put everything in one basket. Yeah she did great but she could have lost big time too. The same was true for the reserve bank, they could have lost too. I have investments that are down ~30%. Thats not the end of the world becuase I have other investments that have done well that offsets that loss. I would suggest you and your wife get third party investment advice from someone decent.
    
    The reserve bank is not there to invest money. There are not a share, materials or housing investment vehicle. Thats not their job. Yes they buy currency, thats for their role in managing the NZ dollar. They are experts in this and regularly take a bath on their trades. In the same way all traders sometimes do.
    
    It’s really easy to look at in investment in hindsight and say ‘if x had invested in this we would have been so much better off’ people never look at an investment and go ‘if x had invested in this we would have lost a shit ton of money’.
    
    This discussion is even more stupid when the government would need to borrow (and pay interest) on the money they are investing. The money they could lose. If the investment is such a sure thing then the government should borrow every cent they can to invest right?
    
    Oh and if we are playing this silly game, the reserve bank shouldn’t have invested in Gold or Silver, they should have bought NVidia shares.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:15am
    - Quail
      
      The Gold standard is history.Now the Reserve Banks major tool used is yield, ie the OCR and interest rates.
      The Reserve Bank is tasked with ensuring the stability of the NZD .
      Since the 1980s they have got progressively worse allowing creeping inflation to destroy peoples savings.
      Purchasing power of the dollar has been rapidly shrinking Governments deficit budgeting another cause.
      It seems the RB no longer has independence from Government as it did in the past.
      It has been great to see the trading Banks valuing the NZD above the RB bureaucrats by lifting their interest rates above the Government / RB settings recently.
      The market is almost ruling ,but the NZ economy is at high risk , and the NZD is at risk!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 6:59pm
- PeterTrentham
  
  I brought 20oz last year, probably more than we have at the reserve bank!
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:04am
  - RoboRob
    
    We have a fiat currency*. The reserve bank isn’t fort knox. It doesn’t sit on assets worth the value of every note in circulation. We, and most other countries, have moved well past that.
    
    *https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fiatmoney.asp
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:27pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      The USD is also a fiat currency.
      Fort Knox does not hold gold to cover the value of every note in circulation.
      
      3 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 5:41pm
rouppe

Another dud judge.

The victims are terrorised with knives to their throats.

They have thousands of dollars of property stolen.

They have to pay for repairs the offenders did to the flat.

The judge does not order reparations, leaving the victims out of pocket, and gives the offenders 60% sentencing discount.

And they call that justice.
15 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:57am
JJ56

Bit of a hoot in the Herald this morning in a story (paywalled) about the best and worst Government agencies. Mentioned negatively in dispatches was MoT, but we can all relax it is in safe hands.

As the Herald reports:
‘Ministry of Transport acting chief executive Ruth Fairhall said senior leadership had established a working group to develop an action plan, plus a leadership action plan and an implementation group.’
12 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 8:58am
- Hugh Jarse
  
  They only have about 180 staff so it seems a large number of the available staff will be on the working group or the implementation group, the overarching Project Governance Group, the Agency Consultation Group to consult with LTSA, Maritime NZ, CAANZ and Airways and finally the Iwi Liaison Group, so probably all of the 180 including the tea lady will be involved in Ruths project. Chris Bishop, here is your first ministry to dissolve.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 1:45pm
pdm

Great to have proper cricket commentary on the New Zealand v India ODI last night.

Smith, Doull, Bhogle and a couple of other Indian Commentators whose names I did not catch were all class when compared with what TVNZ dished up for the home games before Christmas.

Nice to watch cricket with the sound on again.
23 2
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 9:08am
- Prince
  
  Yes great to hear that a good delivery was…just that…not a great ‘seed’ or ‘nut’. That bowlers were trying to dismiss batsmen, not ‘hunting poles’. And batsmen were Conway and Nicholls, not ‘JK’ or ‘BJ’.
  The desparate attempt of some local commentators to appear up with the lingo of the players is just embarrassing.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:20am
- Southern Raider
  
  How does Will Young keep getting selected. His average for recent times is about 4 runs per match.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:24am
- MCōs
  
  The Indian TV network can afford to pay the big bucks. The game last night was between the top two teams in the world, in front of a packed stadium
  I watch the local cricket. It’s free, the crowds are paltry, the internationals are all over almost before summer has begun. For the local T20 men’s competition the top players are 90% absent. There’s no DRS. The whole thing is done on a shoestring including the commentary
  Anyone can see that.
  
  5 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 9:29am
  - Flossie
    
    Don’t know the name of the commentator on the local cricket broadcast but he always says things in a breathless, overexcited way. Rather high pitched too. And he’s mainly why we watch with the mute on.
    Give the calm commentary of Mark Richardson any day.
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 9:45am
    - Mike
      
      That’s the first time I’ve seen Richardson described as ‘calm’.
      Neil Wagner is good, also Frankie McKay.
      
      3 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 9:55am
    - gravedodger
      
      One Scottie Stevenson knows as much about cricket as Ardern knew about the 1840 Parchment from Waitangi.
      
      17 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 10:55am
- Biscuit
  
  pdm, you – and most Kiwibloggers – will know that I never complain, heh, but I watched the two local T20 games on the box yesterday.
  
  A few observations:
  
  TVNZ’s sales team is EXCELLING, isn’t it? Not. I’d hazard a guess to say that 90% of the ‘ad breaks’ on show aren’t paid-for efforts but, rather, are TVNZ’s lame efforts to tell me that there are a dozen shows on their network they reckon are MUST-sees by Moi.
  
  Throw in, too, a couple of tiresome John Campbell’s tiresome promos for his tiresome, ongoing, agenda-driven series against Brian Tamaki…
  Earnest JC: Why are you talking to us?
  Interviewee (if he were honest): Because you keep asking us to talk to you
  Worryingly, the promos refer to ‘Series 2’ which rather implies that there’s a Series 3 in the works…
  
  How come, given the commentary teams’ endless inclusion of Maori names for the game venues (Ōtautahi, Kirikiriroa, Te Whanganui-a-Tara etc), that they haven’t yet updated their big screen countdown clock – 10, 9, 8 etc – to be done IN Maori?
  
  Ain’t the commentary so INSIGHTFUL|?
  A ball gets pitched 20 yards right of the playing strip. Commentator: That’ll be a wide.
  A wicket gets taken off the first ball of the game. Commentator: That’s not the start they’ll have been looking for.
  
  The cat yawns and fixes me with a look that says it’s time I gave some serious thought to preparing her next meal…
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:34am
  - pdm
    
    It is not only cricket Biiscuit..
    
    An hour or so ago mrspdm turned her back on me to do something at the sink and I flicked to live streaming of a Bowls Pairs tournament at Burnside Christchurch to have a look at yesterdays highlights.
    
    Coverage started with a 15/20 second burst of incomprehensible mumbo jumbo from the commentating people.
    
    Attempted indoctrination is everywhere.
    
    9 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 12:01pm
I remember when

Uses sought for old nacelles: Manawatu Standard.
The imminent dismantling of the Te Rere Hau wind turbines above Palmerston Noth skyline has posed a recycling conundrum the community is asked to help solve.
That will involve finding a new use for 97 fibreglass nacelles, the boxes that sit on top of the towers to hold the generator, gearbox and controls.
Central Environmental managing director Ian Butcher and Precycle chief executive Nelson Harper are putting the challenge to the community, with ideas already brimming about adapting them as caravans, sheds, toilets or tiny homes.

Done our bit, now it’s up to you.
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 9:35am
- david
  
  Wait up, are you telling us that disposal options at the end of their useful lives was not part of the consenting before construction?
  Surely not!
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 1:58pm
  - Albie
    
    No problem. You just file it under Net Zero 2050 and deal with it later.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:47pm
imalwaysright

Hoping this year to see the PM and the Ministers openly criticise judicial decisions, the Police, and the Public Service, as necessary.

Getting a bit tired of hearing that an issue is an ‘operational matter’, or that it is ‘against convention’ to criticise judgements.

The MPs are our elected representatives, they operate the most powerful organisation in the country, if they can’t or wont speak up when something goes wrong then why bother having them.
8 2
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 9:47am
cmm

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Are these genuine photos these time or are they just recycling the staged photos?

That’s the problem with the media, or anyone else for that matter, lying. Once they destroy credibility. Does anyone really take them seriously any more?

Perhaps there really are starving people in Gaza now, but why should I believe that?

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360928325/clampdown-humanitarian-aid-will-worsen-gazas-catastrophic-situation
14 5
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:05am
- Gravelroad
  
  These days I believe very little of what appears on social media – especially when it comes to “reels”.
  I seem to get a lot of reels featuring the obviously AI doctored videos of animals doing the most amazing human-like things.
  One the other day featured a lion “rescuing” a lesser animal out of a water hole and sending it on its way in a very caring and friendly manner – instead of eating it himself as would most likely happen in reality.
  AI? Not rating it……….
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:28am
  - kowtow
    
    Not just “social media” , but mainstream media .
    
    Look at their immediate and now ongoing beatification of the ICE Watch woman.
    
    And the media are politicising her death for their own leftist agenda in the same way they’ve ostracised Israel for its legitimate counter attacks on Mullah backed and inspired Hamas genocidal Oct 7 invasion.
    
    btw their now almost literal , relatively, ignoring of the widespread slaughter by those Mullahs of freedom loving Iranians is nothing short of despicable .
    
    8 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:54am
- Jethrod
  
  Can’t read more than a few lines of the article because not a subscriber, but the photo tells a story; the pots are very clean for people not using electricity to cook/heat. Open fires or gas would have the pots a different colour.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:47am
- mogg
  
  Interesting report on TV3 news about the number of protestors being killed by Iran’s revolutionary guard.
  They qualify all reports with “none of thes reported deaths have been independently verified “.
  I have not heard those same words being used when they report Hamas propaganda, on how many ‘innocent civilians Israel has killed in Gaza.”
  
  17 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 11:25am
AitchW

Bring back Blowers! And Coney.
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:05am
Cassandra

“US military warns Trump.against Iran strikes.” is the Herald headline. I expected the article to go on to say that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has met with the President and advised him not to attack Iran. But no, it just quotes unnamed “commanders” saying that they need more time. The only people who “warn Trump” are the SecDef, Chairman and the head of the relevant command. I am really sick of rubbish journalism in a formerly reputable newspaper.
40 5
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:11am
- RoboRob
  
  Yup and all this reporting around a Trump invasion seems very well timed to support the failing Iranian regime. The one thing that can get people behind their government is a foriegn enemy. I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t a media opperation by the Iranians to regain support of its people.
  
  The US doesn’t need to do anything at the moment.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:20am
  - Wandering Star
    
    Who’d have thought that a decades-long coordinated attempt by a hostile Judeo-American alliance to overthrow your government would strengthen the resolve of Iranians?
    
    “The US doesn’t need to do anything at the moment.” Haven’t they done enough to the poor Iranians already?
    
    3 13
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:37pm
    - Interested Party
      
      I’ve heard the Iranian people / protesters are inspired by the US threat – what sources do you have
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 3:33pm
      - Wandering Star
        
        “You’ve heard” this have you? Well, case closed then.
        
        A lot of Americans visibly protest against and would love to see the Trump admin gone (while the other half of the country don’t)– you’d be happy to see this and think it’s for the best, I assume? Don’t the anti-Trump faction yearn for freedom and greater rights? Better give them what they want then.
        
        What number of Iranians support the Islamic Republic? It must be in the tens of millions, given the size of the population. The fact that some, a lot, or many Iranians oppose their government is perfectly natural, because every government has those who oppose it. It doesn’t follow that, ipso facto, that government should or will be removed.
        
        1 4
        Report
        January 12, 2026 8:00pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    and dont forget the Millions if not billions be fed to CIA & Mossad to destabilise Iran.
    
    Check back to Ukraine 2014 ish when it was reported that CIA and state department had “bought”” a revolution to topple the President they didnt like. And then ended up with the comedian Zelensky.
    
    Dont know which was worse. Sticking with the orginal Russian leaning guy. Or killing hundreds of thousands and laying waste to a lot of Ukraine.
    
    6 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:47pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Headlines are now just made-up click baits designed solely to trick the unwary into starting to read the “story” below.
  They seldom have any relevance to the actual content of the article – but that is justified because people read on and this pleases the advertisers and the activists.
  Once upon a time, a reporter wrote up a story and a sub-editor read it through and attached a suitable, accurate headline that reflected the content, whether they agreed with it or not.
  Now, reporters self-publish with little unbiased or professional oversight.
  
  21 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:38am
- cmm
  
  “…a formerly reputable newspaper”
  
  Maybe they were never reputable, but it is now easier to see through their bullshit.
  
  Nowadays there is so much alternative reporting and video etc that they are relatively easy to catch out.
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:48am
  - Cassandra
    
    Perhaps before your time, cmm. In the 50s and 60s the Herald was a good newspaper.
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 10:53am
    - cmm
      
      That’s certainly before my time. I’ve only been in NZ since 1992.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 11:06am
- gravedodger
  
  Sec Def is Now Sec War
  
  6 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 10:57am
  - Cassandra
    
    My little contrarian protest.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 12:15pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Sec War, sounds like he has adopted the woke world of personal pronouns. Ie I want to be called……
    
    The titles “Secretary of War” and “Department of War” are not legally binding as official names; they serve only as secondary, non-statutory titles authorized by executive order. The legal names remain “Secretary of Defense” and “Department of Defense,” as established by Congress in the National Security Act of 1947
    
    1 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 3:16pm
- Mike
  
  You should remember that the Pentagon press corps has been evicted and replaced by a gaggle of MAGA bloggers.
  Actual journalists can repeat the press releases, any further insights need to come from officers prepared to risk court-martial.
  
  4 14
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 11:03am
Jethrod

Whilst reading last night I came across the fact that the US has history of acquiring islands from Denmark.
Back in 1917 the US acquired the 3 islands, St Croix, St John and St Thomas, being the Danish East Indie,now the US Virgin Islands.
The US paid over $25,000,000 in gold coins. The US prior to that had a history of trying to persuade Denmark to part with the islands for “strategic reasons”. Sounds a bit like the Greenland issue.
So nearly 90 years of inflation plus abit of goodwill, will see the US the proud owner of another European owned outpost
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:41am
- All_on_Red
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_of_Free_Association
  
  3 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 2:51pm
- reubee
  
  By reading, do you mean you came across the video Jimmy Carr posted two days ago from a performance in Denmark last year when an audience member asked “should we sell Greenland” which led to a discussion on Denmark selling Virgin Island to the U.S. 100 year ago for $25,000,000. Disappointed that whilst he poked fun at the price and for Denmark selling their holiday home, he missed pointing out that the price was extortionate compared to the $7,200,000 USA paid Russia for Alaska 25 years earlier.
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 3:02pm
  - Jethrod
    
    I started a novel which had a bit of info in the first chapter as a scene-setter. It looked interesting enough to Google and check it out considering the play coming from the US Executive.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 5:55pm
cmm

Why can’t these judges just realise that some people are just scumbags and treat them as such?

“Judge Kim Saunders noted that it was their “voluntary consumption of alcohol and drugs that has led them to where they are now”.”

I call bullshit that it was the consumption of drugs and alcohol that led them to committing armed robbery. If it was, there would be thousands of armed robberies in NZ every day.

“Russell Boot, counsel for Khysus-Manaki, said the pair made “full and frank” confessions about their involvement and assisted police in their investigation.”

Assisted police in their investigations, but not sufficiently to dob in their mates that helped them in this raid. I assume these two must be the ringleaders as they ended up with the prime loot (cellphones etc).

One of them is a father, at age 20, with a second on the way. Cry to the judge and get a discount. FFS: If you’re a father then think BEFORE you act. Nope, in NZ it’s a get out of jail free card.

Three years sentence (discounted from 7.5 for the usual reasons). Will be out in 18 months. Back at it again, no doubt.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/teen-brothers-in-armed-group-that-stormed-hamilton-flat-and-robbed-victims-at-knifepoint-sent-to-prison/LE3ESCMCDBBXHHQI2FAQGEJKG4/
23 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:45am
- RoboRob
  
  ‘Judge Saunders took a starting point of seven and a half years’ imprisonment for their roles, before allowing 60% in discounts, for pleas, youth, remorse and restorative justice’
  
  So this is confusing. The new maximum discounting is 40%. How does one get a 60% discount?
  
  I note the sentencing was in December, so after the new law has come into place. However he actual offending was in Sept 2023!!!! It’s only taken TWO years to get to sentencing. I assume this case was heard BEFORE June 2025 when new 40% limit came in. Questions for the lawyers out there….
  
  1. Why would a judge think a 60% discount is remotely reasonable?
  
  2. Why does it take ~1.5years to get the case before a judge?
  
  3. Why does it take > 5Mths between the case completion and sentencing?
  
  4. Since the new law applies to sentencing, shouldn’t it apply if sentencing takes place in Dec 2025?
  
  As usual I would say, Justice delayed is justice denied. If these guys were innocent waiting 1.5 years for trial is torture.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 12:00pm
- Ian
  
  Casting aspersions – he’s probably an accidental father and there’s one on the way, maybe to someone else. Probably doesn’t support the child or have much ( should be majority) involvement in the child’s life. Wonder if the judge delved into all this before granting a generous sentence discount…
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 12:50pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    I wonder if Oranga Tamariki automatically investigate the welfare of the children of the convicted?
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:55pm
    - Ian
      
      They didn’t properly in that case in the North Island where the woman went to jail and left her friend to look after the child and the friend then killed the child
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 3:22pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      No,
      There is no legal requirement for courts or anyone to notify OT if a parent/care-giver has been sent to prison.
      
      https://www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/About-us/Research/Latest-research/Youth-Justice-research/Evidence-Brief-Care-of-Children-of-Incarcerated-Sole-Caregivers.pdf
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 12, 2026 7:36pm
sungsamning

Scammers are sending money to Somalia. Terrorists clip the ticket. Somali fatigue is setting in. Trump wants to get rid of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YCSw14FC7k
People are Fed Up with Somalis
8 3
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:54am
- NothingLeft
  
  If you have a large community of people who are nothing but a drag on your society, living on welfare and committing more crime and requiring everyone else to work harder and pay more tax to support them while receiving less back then it is understandable that the larger community will eventually get fed up and say no more – and look for options of getting rid of the burden when it become so bad that it is wrecking their lives.
  
  Welfare systems will inevitably fail when there is no effective means to prevent parasitical exploitation by lifelong welfare recipients. Parasitical classes will grow inexorably as we are seeing throughout the west. Dopey ‘kind’ left voting AWFLs are trying to pretend this isn’t the case, but economics/game theory make it unavoidable.
  
  The root of this problem is anti-science belief in blank-statism, that genes don’t dictate most human ability. A silly left wing academic sacred cow that was falsified decades ago, and yet is still clutched tightly like a security blanket by infantile reality deniers of left.
  
  It’s utterly insane to bring in large numbers of ~70 IQ average 3rd worlders that are cognitiviely incapable of being productive members of western society (~80 IQ is about minimum to have any hope of being a net tax payer, or less than 30% of Somalians, which is why >80% are on welfare) – and nor will their kids ever be anything but a burden on the state on average given tragic heritability of intelligence.
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 2:44pm
sungsamning

Locals are taking care of business in respect of the IRGC. Mossad is at work too. Some have been killed in ‘gas leaks’ at home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L_rqRsK8OQ
IRGC Leaders Assassinated In Iran
7 2
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 10:55am
- Ra Henare
  
  Being cynical by nature. ie question EVERYTHING.
  
  Mr Tousi fits in to that cynicism.
  
  Seems he was born in USA or Tehran etc etc
  In different years (depends on source).
  
  His history is not as a reporter but as a salesman in Media. So where does he get his “”information”” seems like he gets it from other youtube links.
  
  Looking at views on his youtube videos, I would say. A) Quality of videos is excellent but includes Film type intros, Full of fancy graphics.
  B) focussed on items that generate clicks/views
  
  So I remain cynical of an independent view.
  
  1 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 5:55pm
  - sungsamning
    
    He has a lot of contacts there, and speaks the language. His channel puts the BBC etc to shame.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 7:38pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      I struggle to find him interviewing any Iranians currently living in Tehran (his birth town)
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      January 13, 2026 2:38am
kowtow

Iran says will bomb Israel , again, if US bombs Iran .

Israel is staying out of this.

How do the crazy threats of the mass murderer Mullahs fit in with the Helen Clark /Robert Patman international rules based order that we all are alleged to subscribe to.
14 3
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 11:15am
- Wandering Star
  
  “Israel is staying out of this.”
  
  Israel are donkey deep in the current matter, and have always been deeply involved in Iran and its regimes, whether propping them up as with the Shah, or subverting them as with the current regime.
  
  To the extent that the US is even involved at all, it is predominantly to do Israel’s heavy lifting.
  
  0 11
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 3:28pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Mass Muderer Mullahs,(estimated 60,000 since 1979) and of course lets not forget mass murderer Netanyahu.
  From 1979 to 2023, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reported that approximately 134,000 Palestinians and Arabs have been killed since 1948,
  
  the number of Israelis killed in terrorist attacks from 1979 to 2024 is 9,927, as documented in the Jewish Virtual Library’s records on terrorism fatalities in Israel.
  
  0 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 6:01pm
I remember when

Popular Auckland hot springs gets name change: RNZ.
The change comes as Te Poari o Kaipatiki assumes management of the hot springs: RNZ.

As 2025 ticked over into 2026, Parakai Springs near Helensville officially became Kaipatiki Hot Springs, the traditional name for the area which reflects the whakapapa of tangata whenua Ngati Whatua o Kaipara.
The change comes as Te Poari o Kaipatiki ki Kaipara assumes management of the hot springs.
The governors of Te Poari are appointed by Ngati Whatua o Kaipara and Auckland Council in equal numbers.
In Te Poari chairman Mihi Blair’s Post (Linkedin) she mentions suggestion of Te Ao Maori wellbeing concepts as part of new management and long term vision.
“This evolution is part of a 50-year outlook to enhance environmental outcomes, cultural narratives and access for all, building on recent successes at Kaipatiki Reserve such as the mara hupara playgroup and tiny homes accommodation…”
RNZ: Te Poari o Kaipatiki will also assume management of the springs in partnership with Belgravia Leisure, who also work in partnership with Rotorua iwi Ngati Whakaue running the Wai Ariki Hot Springs.

So the building of a chain of Maori wellbeing centres?
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 11:28am
Phronesis

Given the offending they were just sentenced for occurred in 2023 there’s every chance they have already reoffended. Aside from not being very good at their jobs, judges are also running a few years behind in their jobs.
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 12:32pm
- Flossie
  
  To be somewhat fair to judges Phronesis, being behind in their jobs in really not their fault.
  The rest of what you said I can’t argue with.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 1:16pm
  - RoboRob
    
    I’m not so sure Judges dont have a hand in the delays either. Scheduling multiple in person events for minor court cases does tend to clog the works up. I’m sure there are plenty of other examples where the process could be improved.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    January 12, 2026 1:32pm
MCōs

In April almost two years ago an Australian policewoman, Amy Scott, stopped Joel Cauchi who had killed a number of people in a Bondi Westfield mall.
She has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, which doesn’t sound good.
The killer was mentally unstable, obviously.
I wondered what the contributors to this forum had to write on the matter
Many of the contributions were pretty predictable
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2024/04/four_dead_more_injured_in_australia.html
Pro tip
Let the dust settle before jumping to conclusions
0 11
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 2:47pm
- cmm
  
  I can’t see what point you are trying to make or what the cop developing breast cancer 2 years later has anything to do with the events of that day.
  
  Of course anyone that goes on a killing spree has at least some level of mental issues. Some of those are then far more prone to get sucked in to crazy ideological positions by exploitative people (Imams etc) and then act after enough poisonous ideas have been whispered into their ears.
  
  There are always going to be a small % of nutcases in society. Most of them will just do relatively mild things. A few, however, will get hooked up with some crazy ideology and go beserk.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 4:11pm
NothingLeft

California Billionaire tax initiative – a proposed law to be voted on in November to take 5% of every Billionaires wealth in a 1-time theft has seen nearly $1Trillion – half of it’s total billionaire wealth leave California in last few weeks – already massively shrinking Californian tax base, and taking away a pool of powerful entrepreneurs that drove much of California’s job cand wealth creation. https://xcancel.com/chamath/status/2010215459522548184

Everybody with a brain could foresee this, and yet the morons pushing it continued to do it for the ‘likes’, sabotaging and sinking California’s chances of long term prosperity even faster, bringing forward the inevitable day when the Democrat run California will ‘run out of other peoples money’

Socialists/Marxists are a truly insane breed of misanthropes. Noone could be so stupid as to believe this theft would work as they claim, but they are happy to burn it all down to stroke their Narcissistic desire to exercise power.

Atlas is Shrugging.
13 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 4:42pm
- greybeard
  
  Fear not: another big quake should drain the swamp and they can start again.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 6:27pm
rouppe

The USA losing an estimated 1 TRILLION dollars a year to fraud.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/10/us/video/is-fraud-in-minnesota-the-exception-or-the-norm-an-expert-weighs-in

Even CNN is saying it now.
8 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 5:42pm
Swifty

Trump on Greenland:

https://x.com/papitrumpo/status/2010551192800170137?s=46
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 5:47pm
- Swifty
  
  Make Greenland great again:
  
  https://x.com/planetofmemes/status/2010472210113401279?s=46
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  January 12, 2026 7:13pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360923300/couple-frustrated-brazen-car-theft-caught-camera-no-arrest
The solution is simple: publish the name and photo of the feral who stole the vehicle.
Let the public assist in achieving natural justice.
9 0
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 6:16pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360923271/wedding-guest-wanted-police-probe-arrowtown-assault-extends-auckland
The photos are so blurry and rubbishy that nobody could possibly identify this person.
Are the cameras really that bad ? If so, why have them ? And why publish these crap photos and ask for assistance ?
4 1
Log in to Reply
Report
January 12, 2026 6:23pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Nonsense from the Australian Police Commissioner

Working your way up »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 13K other subscribers

Highlights

Target achieved II
Good progress on attendance
Health Target 5 – elective treatments
Health Target 4 – Specialist appointments

Links

"The principal view of human laws is, or ought always to be, to explain, protect, and enforce such rights as are absolute, which in themselves are few and simple."
Not PC
When is a Free Speech Union not a Free Speech Union?
The Standard
We Are a Country That Decided Housing Was The Economy
No Minister
My Opening Statement for the UATX Caplan-Jones Immigration Rematch
Utopia
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
Playing with numbers.
Kiwipolitico
A lot of fuss about a simple Bill – its purpose (to make English an official language) is spelled out in 22 words
Point of Order
A crime
No Right Turn
Another non-tariff barrier
Offsetting Behaviour
Rugby Premiership Predictions for Round 18
Stats Chat
Budget 2026
NZCPR
UK Conversion Therapy Ban, Digital ID, Rallies, Elections
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
A central banker’s fiction
Croaking Cassandra
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Get Vaccinated Tomorrow Or Shut Your Pie Hole
Cactus Kate
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker

[email protected]

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: